‘Tis the season for cozy baking. And these gingerbread bars with cream cheese frosting are here to warm your heart and delight your taste buds!
The soft, chewy gingerbread and the luscious, tangy frosting are irresistible. And the aroma in your kitchen as everything bakes? Heavenly.
Gingerbread bars are the perfect way to indulge in the flavors of the season. So grab your mixing bowl and spread some sweetness!
Why You’ll Love These Gingerbread Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Easy to Make: This recipe is straightforward and requires minimal preparation. So it’s perfect for busy home bakers who want a delicious dessert without fuss.
Convenient Baking: Instead of rolling and cutting cookies, spread the dough in a pan and bake. This saves you much-needed time during the busy holiday season.
Perfect for Gatherings: The combination of gingerbread and cream cheese frosting is a crowd-pleaser any time of year.
Taste Sensation: The spices, buttery crumb, and sweet yet tangy frosting are. match made in heaven.
Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure and stability, creating a tender crumb.
- Baking Powder & Soda: The leavening agents that keep the bars from being overly dense.
- Spices: Ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg infuse the bars with warm, aromatic flavors that are quintessential to gingerbread.
- Salt & Vanilla: Enhance the flavors of the other ingredients and balance sweetness.
- Unsalted Butter: Adds richness and moisture, creating a soft and chewy texture.
- Dark Brown & Granulated Sugar: Brown sugar imparts a deep, caramel-like sweetness and contributes to the bars’ moistness. Granulated gives them a boost of sweetness to counter the spice and molasses.
- Dark Molasses: Provides a robust, slightly smoky sweetness and deepens the color of the bars.
- Large Egg: Binds the ingredients together and adds structure and richness.
- Cream Cheese Frosting: A creamy, tangy topping that adds a luscious contrast to the spicy bars. It’s made from cream cheese, unsalted butter, vanilla extract, salt, and powdered sugar.
How to Make Gingerbread Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
The soft, chewy gingerbread base of these bars is like a hug in dessert form.
Meanwhile, the velvety cream cheese frosting adds a luxurious touch that’ll make you weak in the knees.
And yet, they’re ready for the oven in a matter of minutes!
1. PREP: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch pan and line it with parchment paper.
2. MIX: In separate bowls, combine the wet and dry ingredients. Then, gently stir together until just combined.
3. BAKE: Press the dough into the pan and bake for 15-20 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
4. FROST: Beat the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until fluffy.
5. FINISH: Spread frosting over the cooled bars, add sprinkles, and chill for 30-60 minutes. Lift out, slice, and serve.
Tips For the Best Gingerbread Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Topped with a sprinkle of festive cheer, these gingerbread bars are the perfect way to indulge in the flavors of the fall season.
Whether you’re cozying up by the fire or sharing with loved ones, they’re sure to become a new holiday tradition.
Just check out these tips first, then get to it!
- Measure accurately. Use the spoon and level method for measuring flour to ensure the bars have the perfect texture. Or better yet, weigh it!
- Avoid overbaking. They should be firm at the edges and look set in the middle. Remember, they’ll keep cooking in the tray.
- Adjust the frosting consistency. If the frosting seems too thick, beat in a little milk or cream. If it’s too thin, gradually mix in more powdered sugar.
- Chill before slicing. Refrigerate the frosted bars for 1-2 hours to allow the frosting to set before cutting into squares. That’ll give you nice, neat slices.
- Swap the frosting. Not a fan of cream cheese? Try this brown butter frosting instead. Other options include chocolate frosting, maple glaze, or just a dusting of powdered sugar.
- Variations. Add 1/2 cup of white chocolate or mini chocolate chopped. Try chopped crystallized ginger or nuts for extra flavor and texture.
How to Store
These bad boys are almost too pretty to eat… almost!
Trust me, once you take a bite, you won’t be able to stop. So I doubt you’ll have any leftovers.
But if you do, here’s what to do:
To Store: Place leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days with parchment between layers. For the best flavor and texture, allow the bars to come to room temperature for 15-20 minutes before serving.
To Freeze: Wrap unfrosted bars tightly in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen bars overnight in the refrigerator before frosting and serving.
More Fall-Spiced Recipes You’ll Love
Gingerbread Pancakes
Baked Cinnamon Sugar Donuts
Gingerbread Muffins
Baked Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes
Gingerbread Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
12-16
servings15
minutes20
minutes405
kcalThese gingerbread bars with cream cheese frosting are a delightful blend of warm spices and creamy sweetness, perfect for the holiday season.
Ingredients
- For the Gingerbread Bars
2 1/4 cups (270g) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsulphured molasses
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- For the Cream Cheese Frosting
1 (8 ounce) block cream cheese
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°Fahrenheit. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch overhang on the long sides.
- Make the gingerbread: In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, cloves, nutmeg, and salt until well mixed.
- In a separate large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Turn the mixer to low and blend in the molasses, egg, and vanilla until smooth.
- Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients by hand with a spatula. Stop mixing when no flour streaks are visible.
- Press the dough evenly into the baking pan and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the top is set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool fully on a wire rack.
- Make the frosting: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
- Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled bars, add the sprinkles, and then chill for 60 minutes until set. Use the parchment paper overhang to lift the bars out of the pan and place them on a cutting board. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
- Use the spoon and level method for measuring flour to ensure the bars have the perfect texture. Or better yet, weigh it!
- Add 1/2 cup of white chocolate or mini chocolate chopped. Try chopped crystallized ginger or nuts for extra flavor and texture.
